What ovulation signs can I look out for if I'm trying to conceive?
Answer From Mary Marnach, M.D.Understanding when you're ovulating — and having sex regularly five days before and on the day of ovulation — can improve the odds of conceiving.
Ovulation is the process in which a mature egg is released from the ovary.
After it's released, the egg moves down the fallopian tube and stays there for 12 to 24 hours, where it can be fertilized.
Sperm can live inside the female reproductive tract as long as five days after sexual intercourse under the right conditions.
Your chance of getting pregnant is highest when live sperm are present in the fallopian tubes during ovulation.
In an average 28-day menstrual cycle, ovulation typically occurs about 14 days before the start of the next menstrual period. However, each person's cycle length may be different, and the time between ovulation and the start of the next menstrual period may vary. If, like many women, you don't have a 28-day menstrual cycle, you can determine the length of your cycle and when you're most likely to ovulate by keeping a menstrual calendar.
Beyond the calendar, you can also look for ovulation signs and symptoms, including:
- Change in vaginal secretions (cervical mucus). Just before ovulation, you might notice an increase in clear, wet and stretchy vaginal secretions. Just after ovulation, cervical mucus decreases and becomes thicker, cloudy and less noticeable.
- Change in basal body temperature. Your body's temperature at rest (basal body temperature) increases slightly during ovulation. Using a thermometer specifically designed to measure basal body temperature, take your temperature every morning before you get out of bed. Record the results and look for a pattern to emerge. You'll be most fertile during the 2 to 3 days before your temperature rises.
You also might want to try an over-the-counter ovulation kit, which can help you identify when you're most likely to ovulate. These kits test your urine for the surge in hormones that takes place before ovulation. Ovulation occurs about 36 hours after a positive result.
Ovulation and fertility
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- Ovulation is a phase of the female menstrual cycle that involves the release of an egg (ovum) from one of the ovaries.
- It generally occurs about two weeks before the start of the menstrual period.
- Most ovulation predictor kits work by measuring the level of luteinising hormone (LH) in the woman’s urine – a rise in LH levels indicates that you are about to ovulate.
- Some women who aren’t ovulating regularly can be helped by reproductive technologies.
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When you start trying for a baby, it’s important to understand ovulation, when it happens and how you can improve your chances of falling pregnant.
What is ovulation?
Ovulation is part of the female menstrual cycle. An egg is released from an ovary and moves along a fallopian tube towards your uterus.
When does ovulation happen?
Ovulation usually happens once each month, about two weeks before your next period. Ovulation can last from 16 to 32 hours.
- on the contraceptive pill
- pregnant
- postmenopausal.
Ovulation and pregnancy
It is possible to get pregnant in the five days before ovulation and on the day of ovulation, but it’s more likely in the three days leading up to and including ovulation. Once the egg is released, it will survive up to 24 hours. If sperm reaches the egg during this time, you may get pregnant.
How do you know when you are ovulating?
If you have regular menstrual cycles, you are likely to be ovulating each month.
When you are ovulating, you may notice:
- your vaginal discharge or mucus is slick and slippery (like egg white)
- abdominal pain, often on one side of the tummy
- premenstrual symptoms (e.g. breast enlargement and tenderness, abdominal bloating and moodiness).
Ovulation predictor kits
You can use an ovulation predictor kit to predict when you are most likely to be . Most kits work by measuring the level of luteinising hormone (LH) in your urine. A positive result means you are likely to ovulate within the next 24 to 36 hours.
Ovulation calculators
This ovulation calculator or ovulation calendar can help you work out your most fertile time. These are the days you are most likely to get pregnant. It can also estimate your due date if you do become pregnant during your next fertile days. Your fertility has an easy to use .
Ovulation and your menstrual cycle
The process of ovulation begins when your hypothalamus (a part of your brain) releases gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH). GnRH causes your pituitary gland (a gland in your brain) to secrete follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH).
Between days six and 14 of your menstrual cycle, FSH causes follicles (small sacs of fluid in your ovaries that contain a developing egg) in one ovary to begin to mature. During days 10 to 14 of the cycle, only one of the developing follicles forms a fully mature egg. Around day 14 in the menstrual cycle, a sudden surge in LH causes the ovary to release this egg. This is ovulation. After ovulation, the hormone progesterone rises which helps prepare your uterus for pregnancy.
Why you might not ovulate regularly
Some women do not ovulate regularly. This is common in the first two to three years after your periods start and during the lead-up to menopause. Some conditions, such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and amenorrhoea (when periods stop due to excessive exercise or eating disorders) may cause irregular ovulation. Women with certain hormone conditions do not ovulate at all.
Tests to check if you are ovulating
You can ask your doctor for a medical test to make sure you are ovulating. For example, a blood test that checks for progesterone – a certain level of progesterone means ovulation has taken place.
Tablets and injections
If you are not ovulating regularly, tablets and injections can increase the hormones that control ovulation. The dose of medication must be carefully controlled to reduce the chance of a multiple pregnancy.
Read more about fertility treatment on the VARTA .
Improve your chances of ovulation
There are lots of ways to improve your chances of ovulation.
For example, you can:
- maintain a healthy weight by eating regular, well-balanced meals
- exercise regularly – but avoid excessive exercise
- manage your stress levels with relaxation or mindfulness techniques.
More information
For more detailed information, related resources, articles and podcasts, visit Jean Hailes for Women’s .
Ovulation occurs when your ovary releases an egg. It happens around the 14th day of a 28-day menstrual cycle. There are methods to track ovulation such as using a calendar, checking your cervical mucus or using an ovulation predictor kit.
What is ovulation?
Ovulation is a phase in the menstrual cycle when your ovary releases an egg (ovum). Once an egg leaves your ovary, it travels down your fallopian tube where it waits to be fertilized by sperm. On average, it happens on day 14 of a 28-day menstrual cycle.
Ovulation and your menstrual cycle
The process of ovulation begins when your hypothalamus (a part of your brain) releases gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH). GnRH causes your pituitary gland (a gland in your brain) to secrete follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH).
Between days six and 14 of your menstrual cycle, FSH causes follicles (small sacs of fluid in your ovaries that contain a developing egg) in one ovary to begin to mature. During days 10 to 14 of the cycle, only one of the developing follicles forms a fully mature egg. Around day 14 in the menstrual cycle, a sudden surge in LH causes the ovary to release this egg. This is ovulation. After ovulation, the hormone progesterone rises which helps prepare your uterus for pregnancy.
Ovulation, conception and pregnancy
Once ovulation occurs, your egg travels through your fallopian tube. It’s in your fallopian tube that your egg meets sperm for fertilization. If conception occurs (sperm fertilizes your egg), the fertilized egg travels down to your uterus. After about a week, the fertilized egg (now a blastocyst) attaches to the lining of your uterus. This is called implantation. Release of the hormones estrogen and progesterone causes the endometrium to thicken, which provides the nutrients the blastocyst needs to grow and eventually develop into a baby. As cells continue to divide — some developing into the fetus, others forming the placenta — hormones signal your body that a baby is growing inside your uterus. This also signals your uterus to keep its lining, which prevents you from getting your period. Not getting a period is usually the first sign you’re pregnant.
When does ovulation occur?
In an average 28-day menstrual cycle, ovulation occurs about 14 days before the beginning of your next menstrual period. The exact timing varies — your cycle length may be longer or shorter. You may find it helpful to track your menstrual cycle using an app on your phone or a calendar. This can help you determine when ovulation is most likely to occur. Most people will have a period 14 to 16 days after ovulation, regardless of the length of their overall cycle.
How many hours does ovulation last?
An egg only survives 12 to 24 hours after ovulation. If sperm doesn’t’ fertilize the egg, your body reabsorbs it. Unlike your egg, sperm can survive for several days in your body.
How do I know I’m ovulating?
Pinpointing ovulation can be tricky. There are several methods people use to track their menstrual cycle and estimate when ovulation occurs. Since each method has its drawbacks, it’s always best to use more than one for the most accurate answer.
Menstrual cycle
Ovulation happens at around the midpoint of your cycle if you have a 28-day cycle (day 14). However, a “normal” cycle is anything between 21 and 35 days, so this means ovulation is unique to your menstrual cycle. Keep track of your cycle on paper or on an app on your phone for several months. Take note of any unusual symptoms. Most people ovulate 14 days before their period begins, regardless of cycle length.
Calendar method
People using the calendar method to predict ovulation, analyze six months of menstrual cycles to determine when they’re fertile. To calculate when you may be ovulating, you find your shortest cycle and your longest cycle in a six month period. You subtract 18 days from your shortest cycle and 11 days from your longest cycle. These two numbers give you the days in your cycle you’re most fertile. For example, if your cycle lengths are 31 and 18, your fertile time is day 10 to 20 of your cycle.
Cervical mucus
Cervical mucus is a vaginal fluid produced by your cervix. Your cervical mucus goes through stages during your menstrual cycle. Your cervical mucus is thick, white and dry before ovulation. Just before ovulation, your cervical mucus turns clear and slippery (like egg whites). This consistency makes it easy for sperm to swim up to meet your egg.
Basal body temperature
Your body temperature increases slightly during ovulation (typically about 0.5 to 1 degree). Take your temperature every morning using a digital thermometer meant specifically for measuring basal body temperature. This method only works if you take your temperature before you get out of bed and before you eat/drink. Record your results for several months and note what day of your cycle a temperature increase occurs.
Ovulation kits
Ovulation kits work similarly to at-home pregnancy tests because you pee on an indicator strip in the comfort of your own home. They work by detecting LH (luteinizing hormone) in your pee. LH is the hormone that surges before ovulation. A positive result means you’re about to ovulate (usually within 36 hours).
What are the symptoms of ovulation?
Every person is different and not everyone has signs of ovulation. In those that do, the most common symptoms are:
- Tender breasts.
- Bloating.
- Minor pelvic or abdominal pain.
- Light bleeding or spotting.
- Changes in the position and firmness of your cervix.
- Increased sex drive.
- Heightened sense of smell, taste or sight.
- Mood changes.
- Appetite changes.
How many days during ovulation can you get pregnant?
Even though your egg only lives for 24 hours, sperm can live in your uterus for between three and five days. This means you can get pregnant from having sex from about five days before ovulation to one day after ovulation. If pregnancy is your goal, it’s better to have sperm already in your body when you ovulate. The highest probability of conception occurs when intercourse takes place one to two days before ovulation and on the day of ovulation.
Is pain during ovulation normal?
Yes, many people experience ovulation pain. Ovulation pain (or mittelschmerz) is cramping or pelvic pain that happens around ovulation. You typically feel the pain in your lower abdomen and pelvis, in the middle or on one side. Ovulation pain may happen when an egg bursts from a follicle (the sacs in your ovaries that contain eggs). It can even cause light bleeding.
Pain during the time of ovulation may also be caused by a medical condition, so it’s best to contact your healthcare provider to be sure the pain isn’t something more serious.
What happens if I’m not ovulating?
Certain health conditions or life events may affect ovulation or cause you to stop ovulating. Some of these are:
- Breastfeeding (chestfeeding) or hyperprolactinemia.
- Menopause.
- PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome).
- Primary ovarian insufficiency.
- Amenorrhea from things like high or low body fat, excessive stress or fatigue or excessive exercise.
If your period is irregular or you go months without a period, you may have not be ovulating. Contact your healthcare provider if this is the case so they can rule out any serious conditions.
Do you still ovulate if you’re on birth control?
No, if you’re taking birth control pills or other hormonal contraception as directed, you shouldn’t ovulate. Keep in mind, this is only the case if you’re using pills, patches, IUDs or other devices exactly as prescribed. The hormones in birth control work by stopping ovulation and thickening cervical mucus (which makes it harder for sperm to swim).
Can you ovulate but not get your period?
Yes. You can ovulate but not get your “period.” Technically, if you’re ovulating regularly, you sho uld also get your period regularly. However, it’s possible to get your period without actually ovulating and to ovulate but not have a true period.
Can medicine help you ovulate?
Yes, there are fertility medications to induce ovulation. Talk to your healthcare provider about your symptoms and goals, such as if you wish to become pregnant. They can work with you on the best treatment based on your condition.
A note from Cleveland Clinic
Ovulation is a process that occurs during your menstrual cycle. The exact timing of ovulation varies from person to person and even from cycle to cycle. Without ovulation, it’s hard for you to get pregnant or have regular menstrual periods. There are many methods available to help you predict ovulation. Knowing when you ovulate can help you either achieve a pregnancy or avoid a pregnancy. There are several health conditions that affect ovulation. Contact your healthcare provider if you’re concerned that you’re not ovulating.
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Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 07/08/2022.
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